An electronic throttle control system for an internal combustion engine comprises an electric motor that operates the throttle in accordance with an electric signal from an accelerator pedal position sensor. A preferred configuration is a closed-loop control wherein control electronics compares the signal from the accelerator pedal position sensor with a signal from a throttle position sensor and causes the electric motor to operate in such a manner that correspondence of the throttle position to the accelerator pedal position is secured.
Cruise control, sometimes called speed control, is a popular feature of today's automotive vehicles. It is toward the integration of cruise control with electronic throttle control that the present invention is directed.